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The Promotion (2008)

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16 comments in total

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13 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
A weak movie., 25 August 2008

Author: Siamois from Canada

I expected a bit more from this movie, if only because of Steve Conrad's involvement as well as two decent leads for that type of movie. Unfortunately, Conrad, who is usually a good writer, really delivered his weakest story and lines here. Perhaps the double duty as writer and director didn't help.

Seann William Scott will never be mistaken for an Oscar performing actor but he usually has energy and a charisma that is very evident on the screen. Here, he really seems uninspired. There seems to be an attempt to pull a Jim Carrey or Will Ferrell with a performance that would be partly funny, partly tragic. Unfortunately, he fails on both fronts. John C Reilly, who is both a tremendous character actor and a great comedy guy is the most disappointing aspect of the movie. He utterly fails at making this character believable in any way and, at times, it seems he is reciting lines at a private rehearsal. Really, really bad. The actresses playing the wives of our main characters are equally uninteresting and unconvincing. Special mention goes to Lili Taylor in another awful role. Her worse performance ever and would have been worthy of a Razzie award if the movie was higher profile and her role more prominent.

There's still a nice basic plot, some moments are funny enough. The motivational tapes of Richard Welhner make for a nice running gag, until it becomes overused. By the end of the movie, we're just glad when Reilly throws that away on the sidewalk. The last arc of the film is even weaker than the rest, with a botched resolution. It really could have been a new kind of Office Space but unfortunately, those throwing that comparison are absolutely mistaken and need some more perspective. There simply aren't any classic elements in The Promotion, while Office Space is a top 10 comedy of all time. Quite a difference between the two, really.

Perhaps a director working with Conrad would have helped keep a sense of direction. A recast of the main characters (or much better actor direction) was also needed. The movie is a decent way to kill time but doesn't offer anything beyond that.

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12 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
Mediocrity at it's most benign, 29 August 2008

Author: Brett Chatz from United States

Ever sat through one of those movies that you're hoping something's going to happen - and it doesn't? The Promotion is one such movie. Here's the uninspiring story of two guys - both intent on being promoted within a corporate supermarket franchise.

That's the premise - short and sweet. Naturally there's some tension between both men competing for the position, but overall the humor is weak; the competitive nature of the applicants is unconvincing and the story flat-lines a couple of minutes into the film.

John C. Reilly is the hopeful manager from Canada while the incumbent is Seann William Scott.

There's nothing to it, nothing to expect and with only a hint of infidelity or upheaval, it's best left out of the spotlight - preferably collecting dust someplace in a $1 rental outlet...

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18 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :-
The Promotion Movie Review, 13 June 2008

Author: joel massie (MoviePulse_dot_net) from www.MoviePulse.net

There's nothing overly spectacular about The Promotion, and yet it has an odd way of succeeding at every little joke it makes. Peculiarly satisfying, the film showcases key hilarious scenes interspersed with occasionally mediocre, but generally entertaining, bits of gross-out humor and creative cursing. A combination of the best elements of Waiting and Office Space applied to the grocery business, The Promotion uses dry, bitingly dark humor and abrasive sarcasm to muster up many quality laughs.

Doug Stauber (Seann William Scott) works as an Assistant Manager for Donaldson's, a generic grocery store that demonstrates the basic horrors of any retail store. While he tolerates the many nuisances and hazards of grocery store life, he envisions a more luxurious life when a new Donaldson's is set to open up nearby. Considered the "shoe-in" for the position of Manager, Doug finally decides to buy a house with his wife Jennifer (Jenna Fischer), counting on the huge increase in pay.

But just as Doug rejoices at the position he believes is his, Richard Welhner (John C. Reilly) transfers to the store from Canada. Richard is secretly recovering from a drug and alcohol problem, but he has an outstanding service record that presents Doug with some serious competition for the new Manager spot. With the pressure of trying to outperform his rival, Doug ends up sinking further and further into stress-filled delirium – as does Richard, who must break all the rules to compete for the big promotion.

It is the exploitation of extremely pathetic characters and situations (perhaps both familiar and average for some) that makes The Promotion so funny. Nearly everyone can relate to the depressingly helpless customer service situations that Doug and Richard must contend with, as well as the stresses of performing for a boss or standing up to troublesome shoppers. The nightmarish episodes at Donaldson's are relative to almost every job, and they are all handled with cynical accuracy. Not every joke is extraordinary, but never does the film miss a beat, even with the briefer moments of humor. From painfully long moments of silence under the scrutiny of an executive or battling unruly gangs in a perilous parking lot, every shenanigan is oddly satisfying.

With a few random flashback moments similar to a live action version of Family Guy, and the steady deterioration of the lead characters under pounds of stress, The Promotion revels in political incorrectness and the mockery of professionalism. Imaginative cursing, tragic misunderstandings and the hilarious self-help tapes Welhner depends on, all tumble together to create a film that dryly parodies every mishap that can happen in retail. The humor occasionally falls back on extreme immaturity or mawkish verbal vulgarities, but remains downright funny at all the right moments. The Promotion is an immensely enjoyable film for anyone who's ever had a retail job… or any job for that matter.

- Mike Massie

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32 out of 58 people found the following comment useful :-
Reviews have been good, 13 March 2008

Author: blackhawkcody from United States

I saw the film in Austin and I actually thought it was really funny....the humor is not slapstick....it's dark humor...I loved it....the cameos are amazing too! Jason Bateman shines in this film! I think the casting job is great. We can finally see Seann William Scott in a deep role that shows what a great actor he is. He also has great comedic timing with John Riley. Riley with his Canadian accent is hysterical in this film. His random odd lines are going to be repeated all over. My favorite is about the mesquite krunchers....so funny. I think that in this film we really get to see what a great comedic writer Conrad is. I also love that he takes a really funny film, but gives it a realistic heart. What it comes down to are these two men trying to provide for their families. It is the American Dream at it's core. Everyone can identify with its message. The films humor is similar to Office Space. The review from film school rejects on it was good too.

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in the voice of Officer Barbrady: "move along, nothing to see here", 4 September 2008

Author: Ivonz Zovko from Canada

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Seriously, what a let-down. It started off great, story was OK (tho overdone it never gets boring cuz it's so real) and characters were decent -although John Reilly's character kept switching (I don't think the writer/director knew what he wanted exactly). But that basically is the problem with this movie: the two assistant managers compete for the main managerial spot at a new location opening soon BUT instead of quirky and witty games, tricks and etc to play on each other NEITHER of them are bad guys so neither of them are doing it... if there are some mix-ups it's by pure accident or slips of tongue. I guess it was to prove that there can still be competition without intentional malice which can be eventful and funny, but here's the thing: it wasn't funny! Not once did I laugh out loud, let alone thought: oh that's clever! The only way The Promotion could work is for the writer/director to get into a time machine and travel to mid 90s before Empire Records and Clerks came out, because guess what, they've already done it!

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7 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
The Demotion, 23 April 2008

Author: Doug Luccio-Camelo from Chicago, United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I had watched this 'comedy' as an advanced studio screening in Chicago and wasn't really impressed with it. It has so many punch lines, cataleptic scenes... Conrad's writing had great intention though, I should say. I loved the uncommon costumer (is it Chris Conrad???) who hits Doug all the time speaking some weird language. I also liked the 'cracking cheese' excuse and the revealing gymnast thing. But, quoting Kirk Honeycutt, I would demote THE PROMOTION from the movie theaters to DVD shelves very very fast...

Oh, Conrad and Scott spoke to us about it after the screening. Scott wasn't really very convincing saying all the time he loves the movie

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11 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
A Little Comedy With A Big Heart, 23 August 2008

Author: Mr Saxon from United Kingdom

I really, really liked this movie.

If someone asked me to list my top twenty movies, it's very unlikely that a comedy would ever grace that list but there's a possibility that "The Promotion" might appear from now on. The strange fact is that it's the characters and the story of "The Promotion" which endeared the movie to me rather than the humour.

That's not to say that "The Promotion" isn't funny because it is. It may not be laugh-out-loud funny but it's filled with enough strange little moments (a scene of one employee at the supermarket shaving in the middle of the aisle for example) to raise a few smiles.

Of the two main characters, Sean William Scott is the one whom the audience is drawn towards. Scott is possibly at his best in "The Promotion" where, for once, he's not required to channel Stiffler from "American Pie". Instead he plays a well-mannered loser whose only ambition is to become the manager of a new supermarket so he can finally afford a new house for himself and his wife. His competition for the position is played by the always reliable John C Reilly and it's nice that Reilly's character isn't presented as the bad guy but just a normal man with his own aspirations and dreams. Although it's a story of oneupmanship, it doesn't fall back on the broadly stupid ways other movies might have presented their conflict.

If you're a fan of Wes Anderson movies ("Rushmore", "The Royal Tenenbaums") then it's quite likely you'll find something to love here. The same is also true if you enjoyed "The Weather Man" (also written by Steve Conrad) or "Juno" (Jason Bateman from that movie appears here in a brief cameo incidentally).

Beneath the humour, i liked the message of "The Promotion" and the way in which it told that message. It's a study on human beings ("We're all just out here trying to get some food... sometimes we bump into each other" Reilly's character explains at one point) and, more specifically, on what it's like to be a man in the modern world.

It may have some problems here or there (the Scottish accent used by Reilly's wife is terrible for example) but it has a big heart and is incredibly entertaining. It also has an uplifting ending in which a long-running joke is finally paid off, which made me clap my hands and smile.

Strongly recommended.

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14 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :-
"The Office" if it was staged at Pathmark, 15 June 2008

Author: john_trexler from Philadelphia

This movie looked like it could be funny, so I went this afternoon and wasn't disappointed. The main plot is as follows: Doug (played by Seann William Scott) is an Asst. Mgr at a supermarket, vying for a promotion to Mgr against Richard (played by John C. Reilly), who were joined with a good supporting cast, including Jenna Fischer (from NBC's "The Office"), who plays Doug's wife, and Fred Armisen (from "SNL"), who plays Doug & Richard's boss.

The writing was excellent and the dialogue seemed to flow naturally. There were many scenes that were LOL funny, mostly with John C. Reilly's character playing the foil. The music was very good, playing to the mood of the film perfectly. Seann William Scott realled nailed it, in what seems to be his first role as a normal human being. It at least makes up for the forgettable "Mr. Woodcock".

I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone in the mood for a good comedy, well written & acted.

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2 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
An enchanting tale, 28 August 2008

Author: Oxycute2001 from United Kingdom

Some comedies make you laugh out loud, but this one makes you smile inside.

A languid tale of competition and two guys just trying to get bye in the world, both afraid of failure and willing to hurt the other to make it but each wrapped up in tragedy and common decency.

It will come as a surprise to many that Seann William Scott can actually act and he has real if understated presence in this.

John C Reilly is his usual excellent self but it is the tale that is the real star.

It is easy to make a comedy based on physical slapstick or outrageous language and acts. This one relies on a script and rhythmn and a gentleness of heart.

Without ever threatening to split one's sides, it is a nice film and well worth a watch.

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2 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
"Office Space"/"The Office" comedy for the supermarket set; frequently funny, 9 June 2008

Author: george.schmidt (george.schmidt@hbo.com) from fairview, nj

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

THE PROMOTION (2008) **1/2 Sean William Scott, John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Gil Bellows, Fred Armisen, Lili Taylor, Rick Gonzalez, Adrian Martinez, Masi Oka. Writer/director (the latter, his debut) Steve Conrad attempts to do for supermarket politics what "Office Space" and "The Office" did for working in an office succeeds for the most part in this amusing comedy of errors when a young assistant manager (Scott) thinks he's a shoo-in for a new branch of the grocery store he works in until a new transplant from a Canadian sister store (Reilly) arrives as the fly-in-the-ointment who only makes things more problematic in the process. While there are some funny situations here and there the film loses its tone/ momentum in its hesitancy to be either a black comedy or a go-for-the-throat parody of deadening jobs and the regrets one have for never achieving their dreams.

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